Here at YouTube, we love celebrating the diverse group of talented creators that make our platform so unique. And in honor of International Women’s Day, we asked a few of our most dynamic female creators to share with us how they started on their YouTube journeys, and to fill us in on what they’ve learned along the way.

A little about each of them:

Flavia Calina started off as a Brazilian beauty vlogger, but then made a more personal shift by sharing her struggles with fertility. Now a mother of two with a third on the way, she offers up parenting tips and tricks to her channel's 6.4 million subscribers.

Nikita Dragun is an American makeup and beauty guru who made her transgender transformation into an honest, unfiltered series on her 2+ million subscriber channel.

Yammy is a top global gaming creator based out of England who aims to make gaming fun for all audiences. She's nearing 2 million subscribers on her channel.

Komal Pandey is an Indian lifestyle creator with a quickly growing subscriber base of over 690k users...who swears she'll never judge a girl who has nothing to wear out of a closet full of clothes.

And I Get Dressed is an up-and-coming style U.S. channel run by fashion expert and proponent of “inspired inclusive style,” Kellie Brown.

Tell us about starting up your own YouTube channel. What was your motivation and what did you feel like your voice could bring to the world?

Flavia Calina: I first started as a hobby, I wanted a creative outlet to share what I was learning on YouTube. [At the time] it was makeup. But once my audience grew a little, I knew I wanted to talk about my passion and really share my expertise on early childhood education and the importance of raising children with respect in a peaceful environment so we can build stronger individuals, families and communities.

Nikita Dragun: A lot of my first initial trans kind of education came from YouTube in terms of things that weren't necessarily taught to me in my conservative Virginia school. But by doing so, I grew frustrated because I just didn't see anyone like me talking about the things that I needed in terms of my trans identity.

When I first started making videos, I actually wasn't as open about my trans identity. But the second I started being honest, in my very first I'm transgender video, that was the first real viral moment I had. And also too, it was the first time I ever said I'm transgender even to myself. I didn't tell my parents, I didn't tell one person in my life. Once I did that...it's just crazy how much support I was getting from people all across the world from all different types of walks of life And so documenting like my surgeries, documenting my hormones, then just every little step in my transition, was obviously hard and revealing. But I knew a lot of people just didn't know all these things that trans people kind of go through and it opened a lot of eyes.

Yammy: When I originally started my channel, I just started it to make friends. I wanted to be a part of the community. And specifically I wanted to find other females who played games, because back then it was quite hard to find other people with the same interests.

Komal Pandey: Youtube was always a far-fetched dream, but one morning I woke up and decided to just shoot a video and put it up...In a week I bagged 100k subscribers (almost 700k now in a year) and since then my channel has been my first and last love. I am the personal stylist every girl can have at one click and I TOTALLY have their back when they say "I have nothing to wear."

Kellie of And I Get Dressed: I felt like a lot of the fashion people on YouTube, especially the plus-size fashion people, it's more like they're trying things on, different brands. But me having actual fashion industry experience, gives me a little bit of a different vibe. And it could be something cool that people will see that the fashion industry is not only for thin people. Fat people work in this industry. We're successful in this industry. We are stylish and authoritative and the rest of the world, they're listening and paying attention, you know?

Were there any female creators that you admired or found inspirational when you started—and why?

Yammy: There weren't that many females in the gaming community, but there was a channel called iHasCupquake. And she was a huge inspiration to me because her friendly and bubbly persona was kind of—it reminded me when watching the videos of when I would sit on my brother's bed and watch him play on the Mega Drive. It didn't feel like I was watching a game. It kind of felt like I was with a friend. So she inspired me to kind of be the same when I was making my videos. Not be like just a tutorial channel, kind of just like a friendly video.

International Women’s Day is about celebrating and empowering women. From what you’ve experienced, how does YouTube help further these causes?

Flavia Calina: YouTube is an amazing platform to give women a voice. All of us women have a place to talk about sensitive issues such as maternity, loss, infertility, struggles, resilience, strength. We all learn from each other’s experiences and can apply to our own lives and our own community.

Women creators are also businesswomen now, thanks to YouTube, and I feel we are given the same opportunity as everyone else on the platform.

Yammy: So now one of the top gaming channels in the world is run by ItsFunneh, who's a female, and I never thought I'd see the day...but because YouTube is such a worldwide platform, there are so many other people like me who wanted to be a part of the community and found her channel. I just think that's amazing.

Komal Pandey: Like the name YouTube suggests, it's just YOU and your camera. You're one video away from voicing your opinion with the highest degree of freedom and that's a powerful weapon to have. Nothing is more empowering than being on a platform that allows you to use your voice as your weapon.

Kellie of And I Get Dressed: And when it comes to inspiration, there's no greater thing than like some girl who’s six, or some woman who's 60, who are able to turn on a camera, create content, be diligent, and then live the kind of life you want to live because the platform enables you to be an entrepreneur in the greatest sense of the word.

What has been most rewarding for you as a creator?

Flavia Calina: For me, it's to really have a place and a voice to share my experiences and advocate for children for such a large audience. We have an amazing opportunity and responsibility with our community and I’m able to push myself everyday to bring better days not only for my own children but for the children around the world. Another rewarding part of being a creator on YouTube is to be able to do everything from my own home and still be present with my children. YouTube has changed my family tree, my legacy, and I take it very seriously.

Nikita Dragun: I think it's so inspiring to see people who may or may not necessarily be trans or who have no affiliation to gender questioning or gender identity—who are cisgender females—they get inspired by my story because ultimately it's a story about trying to be the best version of yourself. I think everyone goes through this obstacle, right? But for me, three years ago, it was like night and day from now until then. So for people to see me struggle, to see me questioning my identity, to see me financially unstable and going through college and not having all the answers...and still fighting to be who I wanted to be.

Yammy: I've had a lot of comments saying because of your videos, you've inspired me to open up a channel and they're all from younger girls. And that really makes me happy that I've been able to inspire people just like iHasCupquake inspired me. The fact that I was inspired by her, and now I'm inspiring people, and then maybe they'll become a YouTuber and they'll inspire other females. It's kind of like this generational passing on of it's okay to be a female gamer.

Komal Pandey: My audience, for sure. YouTube is the only platform that helps you build a very very very loyal subscriber base. They will love you, protect you, critique you. And they will fight for you with the trolls too!

What has been most challenging about being a female creator?

Flavia Calina: The work-life balance. I’m so passionate about what I do that I find it hard to balance being a wife, mother, daughter, friend, businesswoman, all at the same time.

Nikita Dragun: What was so crazy when I took on this journey was that, you know, for 18 years of my life I was obviously considered a male. I didn't face certain things that women obviously face. When the switch happened, it just became so much more apparent that it was about so many other things than just who I am as a person. It became about what I'm wearing and how I looked and you know, my overall aura...If I wasn’t happy or if I was too confident and I was too stuck up and into myself and it was just so many more comments.

Yammy: So definitely people do judge your appearance a lot more. But also there's another aspect to it, which is because we are female, we tend to only attract a female audience. My audience is 80% female whereas a male gamer would attract both the female audience and the male audience. It's kind of challenging that way. I feel like it's a lot harder to grow if you're a female cause you kind of aiming at other females.

Kellie of And I Get Dressed: The main challenge for me is sort of being pigeonholed because if you're a guy, you can be anything. You know, you can be chubby, you can be classically handsome, you can be funny, you can be smart, and people will give you a chance. They won’t have an expectation of you based on your appearance. And with women, it's totally different. Especially being a plus-sized woman, I can be talking about like the best hotels, and just from looking at me people might say, "Oh, she's just going to do a plus size haul, so I don't need to watch that."

What advice do you have for other women thinking of starting their own channel?

Flavia Calina: Don’t compare yourself to others. You are unique, you have a special talent that no other woman has. Share your voice, your passion and be consistent about it.

Nikita Dragun: You know, everyone can be someone but no one can be you. And obviously, you have to be very strong. You know, lots of comments good and bad, but I just tried to focus my energy on the good and honestly, if I survived high school, I can survive your comments.

Yammy: I would say just do it. Just be yourself. It doesn't matter what you look like, just make videos and go for it. There's nothing to stop you anymore.

Is there anything YouTube can do as a company to encourage female creators more?

Nikita Dragun: I think just supporting the creators and really letting everyone flourish and highlighting unique stories is the way to go. Because obviously the more diverse the better. And I think YouTube is already on the right track with that. But you know, any way that they can help and continue to flourish that I think it will only grow and help everyone.

YouTube is giving Samsung Galaxy S10 customers a reason to celebrate by giving the gift of YouTube Premium! Starting today, users can enjoy four months of free, uninterrupted, ad-free access to YouTube, and our new music streaming service, YouTube Music.

With this new offer, users can bring the best of YouTube Premium and Galaxy S10 together for an incredible viewing and listening experience:

Keep in your flow, even with your phone in your pocket. With YouTube Premium, you can keep videos playing when the screen is off.

Next-gen downloading

YouTube Premium means you can download videos for when you're on the go. And by connecting with Galaxy S10's next-generation Wi-Fi 6 support, downloading is as fast as it’s ever been.

YouTube Music

A new music streaming app, made by YouTube. Enjoy millions of official songs, albums, live performances, music videos, and more—ad-free, offline and in the background with YouTube Premium.

Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Tab S5e devices will also come with a 4-month offer once available for purchase. And all other Samsung Galaxy device owners who activate a device between February 20, 2019 - February 29, 2020 will be able to try YouTube Premium for 2 months free*. Both 4- and 2-month offers are available globally where Samsung Galaxy devices and YouTube Premium are available**.

*Standard eligibility applies: Offer only available to customers who are not current YouTube Premium, YouTube Music Premium or Google Play Music subscribers, have not been YouTube Premium, YouTube Music Premium, YouTube Red, or Google Play Music subscribers, nor participated in a YouTube Premium, YouTube Music Premium, Google Play Music, or YouTube Red trial before. At the end of the trial period, users will be automatically charged the standard subscription price unless cancelled before the end of the trial. Offer must be redeemed by March 31, 2020.
**Offer available to participants in the United States, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada (excluding Quebec), Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

It’s that time of year again. With awards season in full swing, one of the most anticipated musical celebrations of the year has arrived: The BRITs. Known for its memorable performances such as Stormzy’s “Blinded By Your Grace Pt 2” in the rain and Liam Gallagher’s moving tribute to Manchester—plus top pop culture moments (Ginger Spice’s iconic Union Jack dress, anyone?)—the BRIT Awards are a celebration of UK musical talent on a global stage. And this year for the first time, YouTube Music is the Official Music App of the 2019 Awards and will provide one-of-a-kind access to the show for fans around the world.

For the sixth consecutive year, for those outside the UK, YouTube is letting you in on the action with a livestream of the show from the O2 Arena in London. Just tune in at youtube.com/BRITs on your favorite screen—whether that’s your mobile, tablet or TV—tomorrow, February 20 at 11:30 a.m. PT / 2:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. GMT. Following the show, no matter your location, you can watch and rewatch the performances on YouTube Music.

Adding to tomorrow’s excitement, YouTube star and global sensation, Todrick Hall, who has 2.9 million subscribers, will present the YouTube Livestream, giving people outside the UK incredible behind-the-scenes access from the show, while providing a front row seat to the drama, gossip, and artist interactions. Vick Hope will join Hall as co-host; and once the show is over, they will continue broadcasting an everyone’s-invited Official After Party on YouTube, recapping the biggest moments from the night.

This year, nominated stars like George Ezra, Dua Lipa, The 1975, Little Mix and Jorja Smith—who either got their start on YouTube, launched albums on the platform, or have used it to grow their fanbases to a global level—are set to perform. Be sure to tune in to see their show-stopping, on-stage renditions of their beloved hits.

For the second year running, comedian Jack Whitehall will be bringing his brilliant jokes and outrageous capers as the event’s host to make the night one you’ll never forget. After all, what could be better than a mix of top-rated musical talent and hilarious antics to make for an unforgettable night?

And as a special treat for Londoners who didn’t score tickets to the O2: select winners from the night will be projected gloriously onto County Hall and Old Billingsgate to make for a magical, one-of-a-kind YouTube Music moment atop the Thames. There will also be a chance to see your favorite nominees and winners celebrated on billboards throughout the country, and YouTube adverts showcasing the official BRITs content on the YouTube Music App.

Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive of BPI & BRIT Awards said, “The BRIT Awards is the most spectacular night in music, showcasing the exceptional talent of a diverse range of British artists at home and around the world. We have seen tremendous growth in the digital and social reach of the BRITs, and partnering with YouTube once again for our live stream of the show enables us to introduce British music to a global audience that is growing all the time.”

And in case you missed it, after the show you’ll find performances from the artists on a special, exclusive YouTube Music BRITs playlist. But for those who want to enjoy the BRIT Awards LIVE—don’t forget to tune in at youtube.com/BRITs on February 20 at 11:30 a.m. PT / 2:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. GMT.

We're updating the way we give Community Guidelines strikes to be more transparent and consistent. Based on feedback from creators, we're giving everyone new opportunities and better resources to understand our Community Guidelines. We're also revamping our notifications and to give more transparency into why a strike happened, and introducing a consistent penalty across strike types.

As we have done since 2010, YouTube will live stream the President’s State of the Union address on Tuesday, February 5 at 9 p.m. ET, as well as the response. This year, you can tune in to live streams in both English and Spanish. Here are the channels where you can follow the coverage:

YouTube Music just got a little bit louder! Beginning today, YouTube Music is now available to play on all Sonos speakers. Through the Sonos app, fans around the world with a YouTube Music Premium or YouTube Premium subscription can now easily play official songs, albums, thousands of playlists, and artist radio—on top of YouTube’s tremendous catalog of remixes, live performances, covers that you can’t find anywhere else.

Check out some of the YouTube Music features available on Sonos:

Recommended

Loaded with listening suggestions based on your favorites, Recommended has playlists for your every mood, plus your favorites and last played, ready to go. From Mellow Moods to Energy Boosters to Throwback Jams, quickly find what’s right for you in the moment.

New Releases

Find a collection of the freshest music specifically tailored to your tastes. Listen to newly released songs and albums. This week, my list featured Maggie Rogers, YouTube Music's latest Artist on the Rise.

Top YouTube Charts

YouTube Charts are the best way to see what’s hot in music right now. The Top 100 Songs chart catalogs the most popular songs globally, and you’ll also find a local version that’s tailored to what’s trending in your country.

Your Mixtape

This personalized playlist features a mix of your favorites and new songs we think you’ll love. It’s constantly updating, so you can always count on Your Mixtape to deliver a new combination right at your fingertips within the Sonos app.

Library

Easily find your saved playlists, albums, and songs in your Library.

Available in all countries where YouTube Music and YouTube Premium are available, fans with a subscription can now easily play YouTube Music through a Sonos app. Already have Sonos and ready to try YouTube Music? Start your free trial at youtube.com/musicpremium, and learn more about setting up your account with Sonos here.

When recommendations are at their best, they help users find a new song to fall in love with, discover their next favorite creator, or learn that great paella recipe. That's why we update our recommendations system all the time—we want to make sure we’re suggesting videos that people actually want to watch.

You might remember that a few years ago, viewers were getting frustrated with clickbaity videos with misleading titles and descriptions (“You won’t believe what happens next!”). We responded by updating our system to focus on viewer satisfaction instead of views, including measuring likes, dislikes, surveys, and time well spent, all while recommending clickbait videos less often. More recently, people told us they were getting too many similar recommendations, like seeing endless cookie videos after watching just one recipe for snickerdoodles. We now pull in recommendations from a wider set of topics—on any given day, more than 200 million videos are recommended on the homepage alone. In fact, in the last year alone, we’ve made hundreds of changes to improve the quality of recommendations for users on YouTube.

We’ll continue that work this year, including taking a closer look at how we can reduce the spread of content that comes close to—but doesn’t quite cross the line of—violating our Community Guidelines. To that end, we’ll begin reducing recommendations of borderline content and content that could misinform users in harmful ways—such as videos promoting a phony miracle cure for a serious illness, claiming the earth is flat, or making blatantly false claims about historic events like 9/11.

While this shift will apply to less than one percent of the content on YouTube, we believe that limiting the recommendation of these types of videos will mean a better experience for the YouTube community. To be clear, this will only affect recommendations of what videos to watch, not whether a video is available on YouTube. As always, people can still access all videos that comply with our Community Guidelines and, when relevant, these videos may appear in recommendations for channel subscribers and in search results. We think this change strikes a balance between maintaining a platform for free speech and living up to our responsibility to users.

This change relies on a combination of machine learning and real people. We work with human evaluators and experts from all over the United States to help train the machine learning systems that generate recommendations. These evaluators are trained using public guidelines and provide critical input on the quality of a video.

This will be a gradual change and initially will only affect recommendations of a very small set of videos in the United States. Over time, as our systems become more accurate, we'll roll this change out to more countries. It's just another step in an ongoing process, but it reflects our commitment and sense of responsibility to improve the recommendations experience on YouTube.